Want to learn more about firefighting equipment?

Join the Michigan Department of Natural Resources’ Roscommon Equipment Center staff Oct. 6-10 at the state’s Forest Fire Experiment Station for an in-depth equipment workshop.

The workshop provides equipment demonstrations and networking opportunities. It is ideal for fire department chiefs, equipment program leaders and other wildland fire professionals.

Activities will include the following: Read more

Ongoing research in Mississippi is developing new ways to gauge turkey populations.

One of the most important elements of wild turkey management is estimating turkey populations, and gauging whether these are stable, increasing, or decreasing. That said, this is no simple task, and many of the methods long used are less effective than researchers would like. Simply, we need better population estimation techniques.

As such, TFT is excited to report on an ongoing research effort that it and other partners are supporting. A new turkey research technique is being tested to determine the efficacy of its deployment in wild turkey science and management. The preliminary results showcase great success.

Currently, a significant effort is being conducted across eight research sites in Mississippi, including a mix of private and public lands. These include Chickasaw WMA, Choctaw WMA, Little Biloxi WMA, Wolf River WMA, as well as private lands in Hancock, Jefferson, Kemper, and Marshall Counties.

“The goal is to see if this technique will allow us to know exactly how many turkeys are using particular properties,” said Adam B. Butler, CWB, director of conservation development with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks. “One of the shortcomings in the science and management of turkeys is that they’re so difficult to count. It’s difficult to compare certain things against other things, such as certain management practices against other management practices, certain habitats against other habitats, etc.” Read more

New study shows impacts to native mushroom species

What started as a fun and tasty culinary trend – growing exotic mushrooms at home from a simple storebought or online kit – has become another threat to Michigan’s natural resources.

A recent article published in The Conversation describes U.S. Forest Service researchers’ findings regarding the impact of golden oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus citrinopileatus) on Wisconsin forests.

Native to Asian and Russian hardwood forests, these imported mushrooms are now growing in the wild in areas of the Midwest, including Michigan’s southern Lower Peninsula.

Golden oyster mushrooms, known for their bright yellow caps and nutty flavor, are featured on restaurant menus and in cooking videos. The mushrooms became popular among DIY enthusiasts with the introduction of grow kits in the early 2000s. By 2010, they began appearing in U.S. forests.

According to Aishwarya Veerabahu, a graduate student in the Department of Botany at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, “No one knows exactly how golden oyster mushrooms escaped into the wild, whether from a grow kit, a commercial mushroom farm or outdoor logs inoculated with golden oysters – a home-cultivation technique.”

To assist with research efforts, Michiganders are encouraged to report any sightings of golden oyster mushrooms in the wild. Observations can be recorded at iNaturalist.org.

Why be concerned? Read more

The Michigan Department of Natural Resources, in partnership with the DTE Foundation and ReLeaf Michigan, is offering $100,000 in grant funding through the DTE Foundation Tree Planting Grant Program. This initiative supports community tree planting efforts across Michigan.

The DNR is now accepting applications for the 2025-26 grant cycle. The program provides financial assistance to communities served by DTE Energy’s electric and natural gas services. Grants are available to support projects that plant trees away from utility lines along streets, in parks and near schools – all of which can help to mitigate climate change, enhance local beauty and engage residents in environmental stewardship. Read more

Pictured above is an oversized illustration of an ant moat, which you fill with water and install above the feeder hanger to keep crawling bugs from accessing the feeder.

As indicated by the number of hummingbird-related birding festivals across America, starting in late July and continuing into September, the post-nesting period of hummingbirds is an exciting time for birders at our feeding stations and flower gardens. And there may be as many as twice as many hummingbirds migrating south considering the addition of recent fledglings. Read more

July 28, 2025
Contact (Kirtland’s warbler species and survey): Erin Victory, 231-394-0896 / (Kirtland’s warbler habitat): Jason Hartman, 989-745-3337

A team of conservation experts from state and federal agencies and nonprofit groups is undertaking a long-term plan to stabilize the population of the once-endangered Kirtland’s warbler.

The 2025 census of the colorful songbird indicates a decline in the population. According to the recent survey, there are 1,477 breeding pairs of Kirtland’s warblers in Michigan, which is home to 98% of the global population. Another 12 pairs were counted in Wisconsin, for a global population of 1,489 pairs, with Ontario’s numbers yet to be reported.

The last census, in 2021, estimated the global population at 2,245 pairs.

The decline is projected to continue over the next few years before the Kirtland’s Warbler Conservation Team’s efforts can stabilize the population through innovative strategies to manage the bird’s habitat Read more

This mid-summer tree issues update comes from the Wisconsin DNR and highlights multiple issues and insects that may also occur across the landscape in Michigan.

One issue is heavy seed crops from maple trees this year. When trees produce so many seeds, it reduces the amount of energy available for producing leaves. As a result, leaves can appear smaller and off-color into the summer. With fewer leaves produced, these trees will continue to look very thin throughout this year’s growing season.

The maple petiole borer is an exotic sawfly insect whose larvae bore into maple leaf stems or petioles, primarily sugar maple, damaging the petiole tissues and causing the leaves to drop prematurely.

The ocellate gall midge larvae feed on the leaves of maple trees causing the leaf to develop telltale colorful, concentric circles in that area of the leaf. Problems that might look similar include fungal leaf diseases and are cosmetic issues that do not impact the health of the tree.

The woolly elm aphid causes leaves to curl at the edges and develop a characteristic wrinkled appearance. Chemical control is generally not necessary and is rarely effective, because the aphids are protected within the curled leaf of the elms.

The dusky birch sawfly feeds on white birch and occasionally river birch and yellow birch. The defoliation is typically light, with a few dozen leaves per tree being eaten. This defoliation is only problematic on young seedlings with few leaves.